Tech Support
by Eternally Exhausted
Summary: The blue spacemen were once the security force for the Space Corps, trained and enhanced to handle anything space could throw at them. It didn't prepare them for Lord Business. And now there's only one of them left.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Even if the rest of the world couldn't see it coming, _they_ knew what President Business' increasing control meant. He'd come to the Corps, once, asking after them. Offering them jobs at Octan, better jobs, he'd said. As if anything could be better than working in the _Space Corps_. He needed a security force, he'd explained, one capable of handling a certain Master Builder problem.

They had politely, but very firmly, turned him down.

_Master Builder problem_. There was a handful of Master Builders among their own number. Their siblings were at high risk, and perhaps they'd just painted an equally large target on their own heads. Lord Business wasn't going to let their refusal slide. He would take it as a personal affront.

The Director was sad to see them go, but he understood. Of course he did. The other Master Builders would put up a fight, of course they would, but Lord Business would find another way to get his 'security force', and their pride wouldn't allow them to work together to put an end to the threat. The Blues would have to stand up for them, and put the world back to rights. It was what they'd spent so long training for, after all.

They would realize only too late that they'd gotten in way over their heads.


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One: War**

Benny leaned back in his chair and tipped the pouch upside-down, shaking the last bits of freeze-dried ice cream into his mouth as he waited. He and his partner had been a successful thorn in Bad Cop's side for five years now. Served the man right, really, after what he'd done to the others like them…

He couldn't really _see _anything going on on the laptop's screen, but- "How's it going?" he spoke into the mic.

_"Peachy,"_ came a dry drawl through the headset, and Benny snickered. _"I have finally managed to locate Doresa's files, at least."_

Benny stilled at his tone, sitting up. "She's not…"

_"I'm afraid she is, Benjamin."_ The screen finally blinked into action then, showing something being downloaded. His stomach churned when he realized what it was.

Another one, forever lost to that _monster_. They'd have to forward the files to the Director. Her family needed to know.

_"Also, I think we should relocate. We've been in this apartment long enough that we're pushing our luck."_

Benny pouted. He'd been thinking the same thing for the past several weeks, but he'd grown to really _like _the place. The neighbors were friendly enough, even if they did think him eccentric, and for all that Bricksburg _really_ enforced the whole "following the instructions" thing, it was a very nice city. Reminded him a lot of home.

"I miss Cape Space."

_"We may actually be safe there for a while. I think he's finally given up on searching for us there."_

Benny relaxed. It would be nice to see his siblings again, do some stargazing. That was one of the things he _didn't_ like about Bricksburg- the light pollution drowned out the stars. Space City was far more considerate of the night sky than that. "Gimme a shout when you're done, yeah?"

_"Of course."_

He shuffled about the apartment, throwing things back into boxes. They'd long since learned to pack light and live out of suitcase, on the chance they were discovered and had to leave in a hurry. It hadn't happened yet, a fact Benny was quite proud of, but he didn't want to take the chance that it never _would_.

The file finished sending just as he finished packing everything up. Everything they owned fit inside their Space Corps-issued duffel bag, and there was just enough room left at the top for the laptop.

_"Alright. I'm disconnected. Ready when you are."_

Benny yanked off the headset and popped the SD card out of his laptop before closing it, and pulled his hair out of the way to slide the card back into its home port at the base of his skull. He let out a soft sigh as he felt his partner's presence in his mind once again. The broken helmet was pulled back on, and his laptop slid into the duffel bag before it was slung over his shoulders. Thank goodness the neighbors were used to him keeping odd hours- after the first month, no one bothered popping their heads out of their doors to see what he was up to, any time they heard him leaving. They thought it strange, certainly, but what harm was there in going up to the roof to try to see the stars? It wasn't like there was any other way down but to come back inside.

Or at least, so they thought. They would discover the keys left in the door in the morning, and a mystery of just how their strange neighbor had managed to sneak past everyone on his way out.

Benny took a deep breath of the cool night air. There were cameras everywhere in Bricksburg, set to try to catch its inhabitants in the act of Building, or doing anything that deviated from the Instructions, really, but few- if any- were directed toward the _tops _of the tall buildings. Even Master Builders were incapable of leaping the great distances between them, so why bother keeping an eye out for anyone jumping about above the city?

Benny, however, wasn't the average Master Builder, if such people could even be said to be average. His steps became lighter as he approached the edge, and pushed himself off when he reached it, silently floating across the gap as easily as if he were in space. It didn't take long to reach the city limits, that way. "Would you do the honors, Moppy?"

_"It would be my pleasure,"_ the AI nearly purred in response. Benny grinned as a ring of light sliced into the towering barrier, the doors sliding apart to allow them access, and sealing once more behind them. His small spaceship was still hidden there, in the same pristine condition he'd left it. Naturally; no other Master Builders really had reason to come to _Bricksburg_. He climbed into the cockpit and started it up, flying through the maze-like tunnels back to Cape Space with ease.

* * *

Director Kenning rubbed an eyebrow as a download bar popped up on his monitor. He'd become very familiar with those since the Blues first left. "Who is it this time…" he murmured as it finished its transfer, and clicked it open.

Doresa. They got _Doresa_. "Not Dori…" Of all the Blues, he would have thought her the most likely to survive, but apparently he'd been wrong. Across the top of her profile was a big red DECEASED. He knew he'd find her autopsy report somewhere in the file as well. Moppy was nothing if not thorough.

He glanced up at the sound of his office door opening, eyes widening as he recognized the blue flight suit. _"Benny!"_

Said astronaut laughed when he abruptly discovered himself in a crushing embrace. Professionalism be damned; Director Kenning was a _friend_, he was allowed to be worried. "You're safe? You're alright?"

"We're fine," Benny answered. "Both of us. We just figured it was time to move again, didn't want to push our luck."

"I'm glad," Kenning sighed. Four Blues were left 'unaccounted for', our of the original thirty-three. _Four_. For Bad Cop to have captured twenty-nine of them in five years… He shuddered to think about it.

"How's my crew?"

"Out of reach. _Safe_. Unless Octan's developed something that can get into orbit, Bad Cop can't touch them."

Benny wilted in relief. "Thanks, Rob."

"You know you could do the same, right?"

"I'm a _Blue_, Rob, it's not in me to just… run away. Even though I know Moppy would prefer that."

"Can't say I blame him, you've been through enough as it is."

"Look, I already swore I wouldn't directly confront them, you'll both just have to be satisfied with that. I _can't_ sit this out, not when we've lost so many already."

Kenning nodded, and gently squeezed Benny's shoulder. "You two just keep looking out for each other, alright? I don't think I can handle any more losses…" Benny squeezed his wrist in commiseration, and he didn't miss the way the astronaut's eyes were glistening. "I think I'm done working for today. Why don't you sit with me for a while, I'll make some tea."

"Alright…"


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two: Inferno Galore**

They didn't stay in Cape Space as long as they had planned. With Benny's crew at the moon base and so far away, they had little reason to remain longer than a couple weeks. Oh, they were certain Jenny and Denny could have a fast ship put together and be back at HQ in two shakes of a lamb's tail- they'd even offered to do just that when he video called them- but he insisted they stay put. At least that way he didn't have to worry about them.

"I miss you guys so much," he'd told them.

"We miss you too, Bluebird," Penn assured, "but we'll stay. You be careful, and _stay the hell away from that cop._"

Benny gave a watery laugh, wiping his eyes as they ended the call. Moppy remained respectfully silent as Benny took a few minutes to break down- the strain must be getting to him too, as he hadn't been _respectful _since they were first paired up. Five minutes seemed to be the limit of his patience though, as Benny finally heard an _"Alright, pull yourself together already. You're sixty years old, not your face."_

Benny huffed at him. "Hardly, you put me in stasis for a while, if you'll recall."

_"You're still older than you look."_

"Bastard."

_"Call me what you like, I'm still the only reason you're still alive. Now- where are we going next?"_

He hummed softly, thinking. Ninjago was out- Lord Business' reign hadn't stopped that creep Garmadon from wreaking havoc on the island, and he certainly wasn't in the mood to deal with that mess. He really didn't care for The Old West either. "What about Bludhaven? We might be safe with that commissioner lady around, from what I've heard, she's not the sort who'll take Bad Cop's shit."

_"I don't know, I've heard the mayor is a Business sympathizer. 'Commissioner lady' might not have a choice but to put up with him if he comes looking for us there."_

"Point. Damn it."

_"Gotham might be an acceptable alternative. It's protected by Batman, and I believe he's a Master Builder."_

Benny scrunched his nose at that. "Ugh, _pass_. Dude's also a bigger asshole than Bad Cop."

_"Well then what do _you _suggest?"_

"…Dino Island."

_"Ugh, but Benjamin, the_ humidity_…"_

"Well you asked. And you'll live, stop whining." He got back to his feet and grabbed his duffel bag, leaving HQ.

_"So do you think Batman is a bigger asshole than Lord Business?"_

"Dude, get real. _No one's_ a bigger asshole than Lord Business. Not even Mr. Ego-The-Size-Of-A-Planet."

* * *

It turned out there was a Master Builder hideout on Dino Island. They'd stumbled across it entirely by accident, and promptly steered clear of it. Benny set up in a deserted shack some distance away, far enough not to be associated with it should it be discovered, but close enough to keep tabs on the Master Builders taking refuge there.

There wasn't much to the place. It was little more than a hut, really, with plywood walls and a corrugated tin roof. It was an honest to goodness miracle the place had electricity and well water, but it would serve its purpose well enough. There was a hammock hooked to one wall, with an eye bolt on the adjacent wall to clip it onto when he was ready to use it, and a table shoved into one corner that he could set up his laptop on. In the very back was a barely serviceable bathroom, with a composting toilet and a tiny shower stall.

_"This is deplorable."_

"I dunno, I think the simplicity is a nice change. Besides, what Master Builder would stoop to staying in a place like this?"

_"You, obviously."_ Benny laughed.

* * *

They were woken late one night by the sounds of battle in the distance.

"It's coming from the direction of the hideout…!"

_"Benjamin don't you _dare._ You swore!"_

"…You can't put me in stasis if I'm not wearing the helmet too."

_"I can_ make _you put it on."_

"No!"

_"Benjamin-"_

**_"NO!"_**

The AI relented. _"Alright. I won't,"_ he said softly, and Benny calmed. _"But you_ can't _go out there."_

"We can't just sit here and _do nothing_, either-" He paused.

Further investigation of the shack had revealed some other useful items. Binoculars, a first aid kit, a radio that looked old enough to be vintage but still worked-

_The radio._ Benny grinned.

"Alright, I have an idea."

_"Do tell."_

He plopped himself down at the device and switched it on, turning through channels until he found the one the Super Secret Police were using. "We'll probably have to run like hell cause I'm sure he'll come looking for us next, but maybe I can distract them enough that at least a few of them can get away." He grabbed the mic, pressing the button on the side. "Hey guys, what's up?"

There was a moment of confused chatter amongst the bots, and then a rough voice demanded, "Who is this?"

_Bad Cop._ Benny swallowed hard and licked his dry lips. _Okay. Dude has a sexy voice. In_ what _universe is that fair?!_ Moppy was laughing at him. "You know, I'm wondering what in the world the Super Secret Police are doing in the middle of a jungle _in the middle of the night_ creating such a ruckus. I don't think the critters around here will be super appreciative of that."

"…What-" A pause, then, "You're one of them."

"Sort of!" Benny chirped. "I'm much more than just any ol' Master Builder, though." He grinned. "You might say I'm from out of this world."

_"Blue,"_ Bad Cop snarled in response.

_"__**Benjamin!**__ What in the nine hells are you doing?!"_

"I told you. Distracting him. We're a _much _more tempting target, being both a Master Builder _and _a Blue, so of course he'll come looking for us. He knows we're close enough to hear what's going on, so he won't waste time arresting the Master Builders. We're a priority now." He switched off the radio and grabbed his pack, making sure everything was in it before leaving the shack. They were in the treetops by the time the cruisers found the place. Benny nodded, satisfied when he saw Bad Cop himself had come to oversee the astronaut's arrest. The other Master Builders would stand a better chance without him there.

Silent as an owl, he carefully picked his way through the treetops and away from the shack. They never spotted him.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three: Let's Escape Together**

It had been several weeks since he'd been caught. Give or take a few days, they were starting to run together now so he wasn't quite certain.

To say that Bad Cop had been pissed was an understatement. No, the man was livid. He'd demanded to know which of the remaining Blues had been on Dino Island, interrupting the raid. Well, Jules didn't _know_, they purposely didn't keep tabs on each other anymore, but from what vague details Bad Cop had given him, he'd _guessed _it was Benny. It certainly sounded the prankster's style. So now Bad Cop was trying (quite in vain, really, Jules should've taken a page from their book) to track down this elusive 'Bluebird'.

And he was stuck in a prison cell, alone and bored out of his mind. One of the first things Bad Cop had done was take JJ. He shuddered at the memory of those fingers probing the back of his head. It was a minor miracle that he'd been gentle about it, at least. And Jules wasn't so proud that he hadn't _begged_ for his AI not to be mistreated.

The result of that had been Bad Cop installing JJ into one of his SWATbots. Jules had raged against it at first- the thought of his AI being used to hunt down the very people they'd sworn to protect… He'd given up, after a while. Bad Cop never listened to a word that was screamed at him; it was a waste of energy.

At least he'd been allowed a deck of playing cards to keep him occupied. A bored Blue was a _dangerous _Blue, even lacking their AI. A tap on the door of his cell distracted him from the card house he was attempting to build. He sighed. "Come on, buddy, you _know _you're not supposed to be down here…"

"But I miss you," came the plaintive whine. Jules cringed every time he heard the pre-programmed voice; that wasn't _JJ's_ voice. But it was the only one that AI had available to him for the time being, so Jules would suck up and deal. He pushed himself to his feet and moved toward the door, reaching through the slot where his meals were usually delivered. JJ immediately took his hands. Jules didn't know how much the SWATbots were built to sense touch, but he rubbed gentle circles over the backs of JJ's hands with his thumbs anyway. Even if JJ couldn't _feel _it, he could _see _it, and hopefully that would be enough to soothe him.

"I know, buddy, I miss you too. I'm so sorry I got us into this mess."

"It was my fault too…"

Jules sighed, thumping his head against the door. "Hardly. I wouldn't take no for an answer. I'll figure out a way to get us out of here, though. You just… You keep your head down, and listen to Bad Cop, okay? No reason to make him even more suspicious."

"Yes, Jules…"

"You better get out of here before someone catches you. I couldn't live with myself if he decided to dismantle you."

"Okay…"

Jules stayed standing there with his forehead pressed to the cool metal as he listened to the bot's heavy footsteps stomp away. Despite what he'd promised, he had yet to find even the slimmest chance for escape.

So far, it seemed their only hope was for Benny and Moppy to discover their capture.

* * *

They found themselves on one of the tiny islands dotting the southern coast of Pirate's Cove, when Benny's jetpack ran out of fuel. "Didn't realize we'd gotten so low," the astronaut mused as he took it off to check the gauge. "At least we were able to make it this far, shouldn't be too much trouble to borrow a boat and get back to Cape Space."

_"Back? So soon?"_

"I'm not going to risk being caught on empty. We need to refuel." He popped his helmet off and looked around. "…Suppose we could wait a day or two, though. Take a mini vacation on a tropical island." He grinned, perking up at the idea. "Yeah, I like that. We could use some downtime."

_"You think Bad Cop's going to take any?"_

"Pfft, we'll be fine. And if it comes down to it, the mainland is literally _right there_, we can just hop over and go get lost in the mountains for a while." He tapped his lips thoughtfully. "Should probably ditch the spacesuit for a while, though, that would be a dead giveaway…"

Moppy thought it over for a bit. A lot of rich people did like to vacation in the islands… Benny's hair had grown long enough to hide the port years ago, so with the right clothes, he could easily pass as just another vacationer looking for a few days of relaxation.

Even before the mess with President Business, the Space Corps had been very careful never to keep any digital copies of the Blues' files- there were plenty of enemies in space that could have hacked their records. Everything was kept on paper, locked away from prying eyes. It had proven to be quite the advantage since Business' takeover- Bad Cop had no idea what any of the Blues looked like before capturing them.

Benny would be completely anonymous.

_"Alright,"_ he finally agreed. _"I suppose it couldn't hurt, just for a couple days. Just find me some wifi and I'll take care of everything."_

"If we're where I think we are though, there's no resort. We'll have to go to the next island."

_"What's the plan?"_

Benny grinned. "There's enough trash lying around, and I _have _kind of been wanting to try windsurfing…"

* * *

They made it to the next island with little incident. Benny had made his board easily enough, and stood on the beach watching others enjoy the water sport for a while before trying it himself. He did surprisingly well for never having a lesson in his life. He spotted a kid admiring his board with some envy, and gave it to her, much to her absolute delight. He watched her race toward the water with it before turning to the resort he could just make out in the distance.

An hour later, and they were connected to the resort's wifi. Within a few minutes Benny had a reservation, a fake ID, and several thousand dollars at his disposal. "And where did _that _come from?"

_"Borrowed from a certain egotistical vigilante."_

"And is he aware of this?" A snort was his answer. Benny snickered. "That's _stealing_, you know."

_"Yes, well. Needs must."_

Benny couldn't really argue with that- they certainly were in need. He'd have to remember to pay Batman back, someday, when this mess was over. "You ready to get out of there?"

_"Actually, just leave me for a bit. I think I'm going to harass Octan for a while."_ Benny laughed outright at that.

"Alright. I'll keep my earpiece in, give me a shout if you need me." He grabbed the key card to his suite and dropped everything off there, setting the laptop on the desk.

_"Just don't get into too much trouble."_

"Me? _Never_."


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four: Night Stalker**

Benny returned to the suite a couple hours later, grinning ear to ear. He couldn't _wait _to plague Moppy with the ridiculous outfit he'd found in the shops.

He was also somewhat concerned that he hadn't heard a peep from his companion the entire time. Usually the AI was making all kinds of snide remarks about the state of Octan's cybersecurity (which Benny knew was actually a close second to the Space Corps' if not on par with it, but there wasn't a security system in the world that could keep his partner out).

"Moppy?" he called out once the door was shut, and approached the desk. "You dead?"

A few more seconds of silence, and then, _"no, I'm not dead."_ Benny froze at his tone, a chill going down his spine. _"I am, however, absolutely **livid**."_

"What's going on?"

_"They have Jules and JJ."_

"What- _no_." His blood ran cold at the declaration. "That's- that can't be! Jules would _never _be so stupid to- they can't- not _JJ_," Benny finally finished with a whine, collapsing into the office chair.

_"Yeah, well, apparently he can. I didn't find anything that indicated either of them having difficulties though. They're both being very carefully monitored. I saw a number of incidents on their files where JJ was caught sneaking to the cells to visit Jules, but it seems no disciplinary action was taken. Heh. Bad Cop must be learning."_

_Breathe_, Benny reminded himself. "Is there anything we can do to help them…?"

_"Nothing we're in a position to actually accomplish, at this point in time. Unless you want to repeat Metalbeard's failure. I did, however, give the Tower hell. Bad Cop's going to have a hell of a time getting everything sorted out again, and with any luck, Jules and JJ will realize that we're aware of their situation. Give them hope to hold out, if nothing else…"_

"Yeah…" Benny drew in a shuddering breath, and reminded himself that, of all of them, the docs had declared Jules the one least likely to suffer the 'side effects' of their enhancements. If anyone could endure this, it was him. And even if he _was _dumb enough to get them caught, at least he would know better than to further antagonize Bad Cop. As long as JJ seemed to be coping, everything would be okay. He nodded to himself. "Alright. So we need to start working on a plan. Any ideas?"

_"Yeah. Wait for The Special to appear."_

Benny quirked an eyebrow at that. "I thought you said you didn't believe in that 'superstitious mumbo jumbo'?"

_"I don't. But the only other two Master Builders among our numbers have been caught, we have no idea where Maryam and Isaac are at, and we're going to need help. I'd prefer someone on the inside, but I haven't been able to get ahold of the others, so Master Builders it is. And you know they're not going to listen to anyone unless it's The Special."_

"Alright, point. But that basically means all we can do is sit on our hands and wait."

_"Unfortunately."_

Benny made an aggravated noise, running his fingers through his wild curls. "I can't just leave them to stew for however long that's gonna be! Moppy, it could be _years _yet!"

_"Well if you happen to come up with anything better, do let me know."_

The astronaut huffed and folded his arms over his chest. The AI knew full well there was no better course of action to be had.

He could only pray to The Man Upstairs that The Special would show up soon.

* * *

Roughly an hour later found the pair wandering the town outside the resort. As much as Benny would have loved to continue feeling worried and discouraged, he never was very good at maintaining such miserable feelings for long.

As expected, Moppy had raised hell over his ridiculous 'tourist costume'. The tee shirt had the face of some kids' cartoon character on it, with 'GUCCI' printed over it. It probably wouldn't get worn again after they left the islands, but the shorts… Oh, he _adored _the shorts. They were some bright neon color that he couldn't quite tell whether it was orange or pink, decorated with a very eighties design in black and yellow bright blue that had him instantly falling in love with them. Those he intended to keep and wear at every possible opportunity. Topped off with the most hideous flip flops he could find and a bucket hat also covered in cartoon characters, and Moppy had protested loudly and at length about being seen in public like that.

Naturally, he lost the argument.

Currently, Benny was enjoying some of the local cuisine, jerk chicken with spices so strong they made his eyes water and his nose run, that he'd purchased from a street vendor.

_"I hope you get food poisoning,"_ Moppy grumbled. _"The resort has a perfectly serviceable menu, you know."_

"Serviceable and overpriced and _boring_. Come on, Moppy, live a little! We are partaking in the local culture like properly obnoxious tourists."

_"You've certainly got being obnoxious down. Also, I think those guys over there are planning to try to pick your pocket."_

Benny grinned and shoved another piece of chicken into his mouth. "They're welcome to try, but the reward certainly won't be worth the risk."

_"I do wonder what these people would do if they knew they had a superweapon walking down their streets."_

"With any luck, we won't find out-" He slowed to a halt.

_"What is it?"_

"SSP," Benny answered, voice hushed as he eyeballed the bots walking in their direction. If they were around, Bad Cop couldn't be far…

_"Just play it cool. Remember, they have no idea who you are. As far as they're concerned, you're just another tourist."_ There was no sign of their chief anywhere. Benny mentioned as much. _"I told you I gave Octan hell,"_ Moppy replied, smug as ever. _"It's going to take him _days_ to get those files decrypted again. And I may have fried a few computers while I was at it."_

Benny laughed. The sound caught the attention of the policebots, but he paid them no mind as he finished his lunch. They eyed him passively before continuing on their way, and Benny relaxed.

Not a single one of them was a fellow Blue.

_"I find it quite strange that Bad Cop didn't send one of the AIs, if it's us they're looking for,"_ Moppy mused. _"They would recognize us for sure."_

"I hope you didn't get them into trouble."

_"…Me too."_


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five: Fatal Affair**

Bad Cop took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off the growing headache. The few surviving Blue captives had been absolutely beside themselves with delight, which told the cops that whoever was wreaking havoc on the Tower had to be this mysterious 'Bluebird' they'd been hearing about. Good Cop guessed it was the same person that was somehow able to sneak into Octan's servers and disappear their files on the captured Blues. He could only thank whatever deity was listening that Bad Cop insisted on having everything in hard copy as well.

But this time, they'd really done a number. Files had been heavily encrypted, satellite signals scrambled, cameras taken offline, the Tower's main computer was on the fritz, and a number of security monitors had exploded. They'd discovered that their personal desktop had been fried as well. Thank their lucky stars the Think Tank was closed-circuit, else they'd _really _have a mess on their hands…

They'd set the AIs to decrypting the files, in the aftermath of their friends' rage, while the cops themselves set about repairing other damage done to their systems. That had gotten them some _looks_, but the AIs obeyed. None of them were willing to be returned to isolation in storage, even if it meant working in Lord Business' favor.

There was little that could dampen their spirits now, anyway. Bluebird was still out there, and was aware of their situation.

They had just finished repairs to one of the AIs that had been a little too close to said monitors as they exploded, taking some damage herself. Bad Cop's mind had turned to the mysterious Blue as they worked. It certainly wasn't the first time someone had escaped him (though the last person to do so had very nearly died in his scramble to get away from the Think Tank), but this Bluebird didn't seem as keen on vanishing into thin air as the pirate captain, if the recent assault on the Tower was anything to go by. He'd sent a detachment of SWATbots to the islands in Pirate's Cove to search for the renegade astronaut, after Good Cop had figured out where the attack was coming from (and either they hadn't thought to take their usual precautions against discovery, or it was a blatant invitation). Bad Cop didn't have much hope that the team would return successful, but President Business was in a right state over the whole mess and would not accept excuses. He wanted that Blue caught _now_.

"You've been thinking about him an awful lot lately," Good Cop teased. "Ever since he radioed us the other night, actually."

_**Just trying to figure him out, is all. Wondering how it is we still haven't managed to catch him. **_

"There's that young lady that keeps evading us too, you don't think about _her_ nearly this much."

_**…I know what President Business says about Master Builders, but she's just a **_**kid**_**. **_

"Mm." _So you're saying you're purposely letting her go?_

_**Not so much 'letting her go' as simply being unable to bring myself to hurt her and she takes advantage of that… People can call me whatever they like, but I can't hurt a kid. **_

Good Cop managed to fight down his laughter at that, but a grin still managed to escape him. _Heaven forbid anyone find out how much of a softie you really are under all that snarling._

_**Don't start that again.**_

"You know what I think?"

_**I really don't care, G.**_

"I think it's the thrill of the hunt. You've met your match and it's got you intrigued."

Truth be told, Good Cop's curiosity was piqued as well. They'd captured Blues and Master Builders alike (and even a couple that were both), and certainly some of them provided a challenge, but in the end, they were all brought to the Tower. So what made this 'Bluebird' different?

_**The other Blues certainly hold him in high regard. Wonder what it would take to get them to talk.**_

"I think your usual aggressive tactics aren't going to do the trick this time. Mind if I try?"

_**Be my guest.**_

Good Cop took one last glance at their list. Everything they could get done was done now; the rest would have to wait until supplies arrived to be replaced. It would be a trick, figuring out which of the Blues would be the most likely to talk. They knew how many of their kin had died in captivity, and were not likely to feel chatty around the Cops. Maybe one of the AIs, then.

**_Try JJ,_**Bad Cop suggested.**_He doesn't seem to hate us as much as the others._**

"Most likely because we haven't managed to kill his human yet," Good Cop sighed. "But you have a point. I'll try him first."


	7. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six: The Change Cage**

It had been two years since their first encounter with the entity known as Bluebird, and still he remained at large. He was one of less than a hundred Master Builders left, and the only Blue to remain uncaptured.

They'd managed to piece together a profile of sorts, over the years, from tidbits gleaned from other Blues and the rare Master Builder that had contact with him, and from their own experiences with him. JJ had let slip that his name was Benny. Jules spoke of some of the pranks they'd pulled together. Maryam told them how he almost always had a smile, even when circumstances seemed grim. They'd learned firsthand of Bluebird's persistence- they'd lost more computers to that AI in the past two years than they had in the entirety of their career.

There'd also been a run of increasingly _creative _acts of vandalism done to the many billboards throughout Bricksburg that carried the President's image on them, with machines of various size and purpose left in random places, machines so well and unconventionally built that they could have been made by only by a Master Builder.

Machines that could have only been made by a _certain _Master Builder wearing a blue spacesuit, as the many cameras throughout the city revealed. President Business' indignant rage eventually simmered down into a sort of weary resignation, when Bad Cop continued to fail at catching the spaceman. He came to accept it was hardly the cop's fault- astronaut and AI together were both far too clever and far too _devious _to fall into any traps set up for them.

There was no sign that Bluebird was anywhere near the city now. There had been no 'incidents' for several weeks now, so they assumed he'd moved on. Even so, they still did their best to prepare for the possibility of him attempting one of his daring rescues. They couldn't allow him to interrupt another raid.

_You sure that will work? We haven't been able to catch him in all this time, I'm not so sure we'll be able to keep him away either._

"We can't be sure of _anything_, when it comes to Bluebird. But it's worth a try," Bad Cop huffed in response. "If only to keep President Business from breathing down our neck."

_Point_, Good Cop conceded.

Bad Cop had spent the better part of the past week leaving 'bread crumbs' for Bluebird to find, with the hopes that they'd believe the raid was to be held in the Mecha Mine and take off to cause trouble _there _rather than in the city. Though with the spaceman being a Master Builder himself, he was likely aware of the hideout they'd discovered in Bricksburg, and might even see through the fabrication. It was a gamble, but a distraction was the only thing either of them could think of that would keep the Blue away while they worked.

_Well, I think we're as ready as we're going to get. Let's go._

The raid would take place in the steadily dwindling slums of the city. The dilapidated buildings were being torn down one by one, replaced with high rise apartment buildings, office complexes, even parks. Even with the improvements, though, the area remained a favorite hiding spot among the Master Builders. Bad Cop could not, for the life of him, understand why they insisted on staying within Bricksburg when it was the one realm President Business had the most control over.

(The one exception being the Blue, who seemed more intent on _taunting _them than hiding.)

They caught the Master Builders by surprise. There was only a handful of them, hiding out in the abandoned apartments, but even a few could be a challenge to capture.

Not these few though, it seemed, as three went down within the first five minutes. And there was no sign of Bluebird. Bad Cop relaxed, thinking perhaps the gamble had paid off after all.

And then there was a crash, and distressed electronic shrieking. Bad Cop sighed and pulled himself away from the fight- the bots had things well in hand- leaving to go find out what trouble this one wayward bot had gotten itself into.

He found it lying in pieces in a dead-end alley. There was nothing upon first or even second glance to give any hint toward what might have lured it there in the first place. He knelt down beside the bot, looking it over. The damage looked bad, but upon closer inspection, would be simple enough to repair. "Easy," he soothed, and the high-pitched whine died down. "You're going to be fine. We can get you put back together in a snap-"

"S-sir!" it tried to warn as Bad Cop moved to start collecting its parts. He noticed only too late that hadn't been a chunk of concrete his boot had sent skittering across the alleyway. He didn't even have time to yell as he found himself suddenly strung up in an elaborate rope trap.

"What the-" He growled and tugged, but the ropes held tight. He glanced around, trying to figure out how it worked so he could disentangle himself, when a flash of blue caught his eye.

The spaceman stared at him for a full minute before he began to giggle, which was quick to turn into gasping laughter. "Oh my stars…!"

"I fail to see the humor here," Bad Cop snarled in response.

"You know, I honestly wasn't expecting that to actually _work? Maybe_ on one of your bots, but _you_-" He started giggling again. "I didn't think _you_, of all people, would fall for it."

Well, that would explain why they held him so tightly, if the trap was meant to hold a bot. "Let me down," he sighed. Benny grinned at him, though it was barely visible through the yellow glass of his visor.

"And why should I do that? You'll just try to catch me."

Bad Cop chewed the inside of his cheek, hesitant to make the offer that came to mind. "You let me go, and I'll let you go," he muttered grudgingly.

"Hmm. Sounds like a fair trade to me. Alright." He took his helmet off so he could see better, and Bad Cop fell still, staring at him. Good Cop was also stunned.

_Wh- why is he letting us see his face?_

_**…Apparently he doesn't consider us a threat.**_ Bad Cop watched as Benny did… _something_, and he was dropped back to his feet. He rubbed his arm where a rope had wrapped particularly tightly. "…Thank you."

The spaceman smirked at him, picking up his helmet again. "Don't mention it. See ya 'round, Bad Cop." He popped his helmet back on, and Bad Cop watched in amazed silence as the spaceman leapt up- and continued floating upward.

"Well. That explains a lot." He took his sunglasses off, rubbed at his tired eyes, then set about gathering the pieces of the damaged bot.

_B, are you alright?_

"I'm fine."

"Sir-why-is-your-face-red-"

_"I said I'm fine!"_

In the back of his head, Good Cop was veritably howling with laughter.

At least they'd managed to capture all of the Master Builders.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven: Hardware Passion**

Bad Cop stumbled into The Coffee Chain sometime around one in the afternoon, he really wasn't all that sure anymore. As their luck would have it, a rough night turned into a very long day, and they were already reaching their limits as it was. "Gimme a large and jus' fill it with espresso, I don't _care _how much it costs," the cop grumbled. Larry didn't even bat a lash at their order, pretty well used to it by now.

"No donut today?"

"If we have sugar now, we'll just crash in an hour." The barista shrugged and rang them up before moving on to get the requested espresso. Caffeine finally in hand, Bad Cop moved toward the back of the shop for a place to sit, just for a few minutes. He froze when a familiar mop of curly brown hair came into view. "_You_."

The astronaut glanced up from his book, and gave a wide grin that looked like it was up to no good. "Wow, you look ready to drop where you're standing. Have a seat." He gestured to the bench across from him.

"Fine here, thanks."

"So you came wandering to the back of the store to just stand there?" Bad Cop scowled at Benny's snicker, then took the seat across from him. "Didn't know you went for overpriced coffee."

"It's overpriced everywhere," Bad Cop muttered. He stared down at his cup, and finally took a sip. "But I figure if I'm going to spend exorbitant amounts of money on coffee, I'd at least like to have something palatable. Larry's good for that."

"I'll take your word for it." At Bad Cop's look, he added, "coffee's been off the table since I went through the injections and surgeries, kinda been that way for all of us. Caffeine messes with our systems something awful."

"What are you even still doing here?" Bad Cop blurted. "Thought you would've split after showing your face last night."

"Oh don't worry, we'll be out of your hair soon enough." Benny grinned.

"I could just arrest you now."

"Oh, please try, I would _love _an excuse to break your arm." The astronaut smiled sweetly at him. The cop's expression didn't change.

"I think I could take you."

"What makes you so sure of that?"

"You're smart. Think about it. I've caught all of the Blues but you. How do you think I managed that?"

Benny's smile faltered. "Dude. You've got a _shit ton_ of robots backing you. We can still be overwhelmed by sheer numbers."

Bad Cop merely crooked an eyebrow at him, finished his coffee, and got up and left. Benny stared at his back as he walked out, dumbfounded.

"What. The _fuck_. Did he seriously just turn the tables on us?"

_"Well. I must say I'm impressed. But now we've got work to do."_

"Damn right we do…"

* * *

Benny laid upside-down on the couch, feet propped over the back of it, as Moppy scoured Octan's systems for any hint of what the cop might have been talking about. He scowled at the ceiling as he too tried to puzzle it out.

_"I think I could take you."_ Benny snorted at the memory. Only a Blue could take on a Blue, and he'd have _definitely _remembered _that _face, if the man had made it far enough in the program to even get the injections.

_"Benjamin,"_ Moppy spoke up, tone contemplative. _"Do you remember that incident a few years back? The security breach at Space Corps?"_

Benny pushed himself upright. "That happened shortly after we all left, didn't it? Nothing went missing though."

_"Or maybe something did. They were destroying the last of the serum at the time, it's possible no one thought to double check that it _all _actually got destroyed. And then Bad Cop arrived on the scene shortly after that."_

"…You're saying you think _Bad Cop_ got the _serum?_"

_"I'm saying it's the only theory I have right now. We have seen that he can definitely handle hand to hand combat with Master Builders."_

"Fuck me," Benny groaned, and rubbed at his face. "Okay, so either he did get the serum, or he's also secretly a Master Builder. Either way, this is _bad news_."


	9. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight: Automaton**

Moppy continued his hunt while Benny slept. Despite what his human believed, he had a hunch about that cop, and he wasn't going to rest until he had proof. It took hours of sifting through surveillance records, but eventually he found something. The Headquarters AI had reported it hadn't detected any unfamiliar life forms- but then, Lord Business _did _seem to have an affinity for robots…

_There_. Something moved at the very edge of the screen, something human eyes could have easily missed. And it definitely looked metallic in nature.

So the sneaky bastard _had _sent a bot to steal the serum for him.

_"Benny, wake up!" _he barked. The astronaut yelped, jolting hard enough he fell right off the couch he'd been dozing on.

"Ow, Moppy, what the _hell_," he complained, taking out his earpiece to rub at his abused ear.

_"Get over here and take a look at this." _

Benny grumbled as he replaced the earpiece and shuffled over to the laptop, rubbing his eyes before staring at the screen. "Alright, asshole, what am I looking at?" A red arrow appeared to point something out. He frowned, unable to see anything, and plopped down into the chair to rub at his eyes again. "Can you replay that?" Moppy did, still pointing out something at the edge of the screen- a flash, quick as lightning, was all he saw. "What…"

Moppy played it back one more time, slowing it down so Benny could actually make sense of what he was seeing. A robot hand reached out to grab one of the vials awaiting destruction. It was obviously a prototype, but there was still no mistaking the design.

That was an Octan bot.

Benny tensed. "..._Fuck_, what I wouldn't give for a cup of coffee right now…" he grumbled, rubbing at his face as he attempted to wake up. "I don't have nearly enough brain power to deal with this right now."

_"I was right about that cop having the serum." _

"Yes, I gathered that," Benny grumped. "No need to get all high and mighty about it…" He paused as a thought occurred to him. "Aw man, what the fuck, that is _so _unfair! How the hell can _he _still have coffee then?!" Moppy dissolved into laughter at his outburst.

_"Business must have done something to the serum," _he surmised once he calmed back down. _"Since he couldn't go through with the surgeries you Blues got, I'm sure he thought up some sort of alteration to the serum to make up for that, that doesn't disagree with caffeine so much."_

Benny buried his face in his arms and screamed.

_"Alright, that's quite enough of that. Perhaps they kept record of it. If I can find it, I'll send it to our docs, maybe they can come up with something to fix your caffeine problem." _

The astronaut gave a pleading whine.

_"Alright, alright! Would you _stop?_ I'll go take a look right now." _

"You're an angel," Benny said, starting to grin.

_"Fuck off." _

Benny snickered to himself, then sighed. This… really was a problem. He almost wished that Bad Cop _had _turned out to be a Master Builder. Perhaps then there would be a chance they could sway him over to their side… if he wasn't already, and was actually working undercover. But with the serum… Benny's stomach churned.

No. There _had _to be another option. Trying to take him on in combat was already proven to be a Bad Idea, and quite likely to be useless. Benny was _good_, but Bad Cop had both height and weight on him.

Maybe there _was _a chance they could win him over. The man had already proven himself capable of civility, and had kept his promise to let Benny go upon being given his own freedom. He'd even shown compassion to the bots under his command, soothing the one Benny had disassembled with the promise of repairs.

Benny chewed his lip thoughtfully, already hashing out a plan. They could lay another trap for him, something to keep him from attacking until he'd heard them out. If they couldn't convince him immediately, they could at least give him something to think about, something that could hopefully open his eyes to his master's cruelty.

There had to be some good in him _somewhere… _


	10. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine: The Game Has Changed**

It had been quiet lately. Not only had there been no harassment from Bluebird, but the Master Builders were laying low as well. The complete lack of activity was putting him on edge. _We should enjoy the break while we have it, _Good Cop reasoned. _For all we know, it's the calm before the storm. _

"That's what I'm afraid of," Bad Cop grumbled. "It's been eight years, you'd think the Master Builders would be getting desperate to find the Piece by now…"

He was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice the other person approaching until they were right at his side, standing too close for comfort. He reacted on instinct, sweeping their feet out from under them- only for the other person to remain floating in place, simply giving him an expectant look. He scowled. "Ben. What are you doing here?"

"Good evening to you too, Bad Cop," Benny snickered. "That was quite the greeting. Is that how you say hi to everybody?"

"Only the people who are being sneaky," the cop grunted in response. "Again. What are you doing here."

Benny held up a thermos, shaking it at them. "Came to give you this."

Bad Cop gave Benny a suspicious look. "What's this about?"

"You said you've been paying too much for mediocre coffee, so I thought I'd make some for you."

"I thought you don't drink coffee."

"Not anymore, no," Benny chirped in cheerful agreement. "But that doesn't mean I've forgotten how to make it. I used to think I made the _best _coffee. Obviously I can't have any to confirm that anymore, so you'll have to let me know if it meets your standards."

Bad Cop continued to eye the thermos suspiciously. Benny laughed and shoved it into his hands. "Dude, would you _relax? _It's not poisoned or anything, promise." Bad Cop sighed and popped off the cap- it even had a little handle on the side, obviously meant to be used as a mug- pouring a bit of the coffee into it. It certainly _smelled _nice. "I didn't put any sugar or creamer into it either, you seem like a black coffee kind of guy."

He was right about that, at least. Bad Cop cautiously took a sip.

That… had to be the best coffee he'd had in _years_. It tasted neither burnt nor watered down, brewed with the perfect amount of grounds, and he was willing to bet Benny at least used filtered water. It certainly lacked the chemical taste of city water. He stared at the spaceman in awe. Benny beamed back at him.

"I take it it's good?"

"It's very good," Bad Cop admitted. "Thank you." He made to give the thermos back, but Benny waved him off.

"Keep it. You can give it back when you're done with it."

"...I don't understand. Why are you doing this? We're enemies, you're not supposed to be _nice _to me when I'm trying to capture you."

Benny shrugged. "I dunno, you just seem like you could do with a bit of kindness. I mean, your boss is a huge jerk and probably everybody that even knows who you are hates you. Seems lonely to me."

"I don't need your pity," Bad Cop growled.

The spaceman wilted. "It's not pity. I'm just tired of all the anger and hatred. It gets exhausting after so long, you know? I guess I just want to see a bit of good being done in the world when everyone's scared and fighting each other."

Bad Cop fell thoughtfully silent. _I can get behind that sentiment,_ Good Cop spoke quietly. "...Thank you," Bad Cop said again. "I'll… I'll hang onto this. Until I see you again." Benny grinned brightly at him, giving him a mock salute in farewell before bouncing down the street, humming some jaunty tune that wasn't Everything Is Awesome.


	11. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten: Feel For You**

Weeks passed, and Benny continued to bring them coffee. The Blue and his AI must have memorized every camera in Bricksburg and where they were pointed, as he always seemed to catch them in a blind spot. After the fifth time, Bad Cop gave up on being suspicious of it being poisoned. It just didn't seem Benny's style. He kept his suspicions that Benny was up to _something_, though- there was no way Benny would start being nice to him out of nowhere without having some sort of ulterior motive.

It wasn't long before the astronaut asked if he ever thought of leaving Business. "I just don't see how anyone can think that what he's doing is _right_," he argued.

"It all depends on who you're asking. Would you say that it's _right _for Master Builders to treat those who aren't like they're inherently worthless?"

"Well… No, I suppose not." Benny frowned. He didn't bring it up again.

Sometimes Benny would bring him a muffin. Something savory, rather than sweet, which he was grateful for. Benny would bring a donut for himself. They would talk about little things, unimportant things, anything that wasn't about President Business or Master Builders. Bad Cop found himself looking forward to these random five-minute truces. He rarely felt so at ease around people as he did with Benny. Under better circumstances, Benny would have made for a very good friend. With things being the way they were, though…

_Careful, B, _Good Cop tried to warn him. _Don't let this be like last time- _

"You don't have to remind me," Bad Cop growled. He knew Good was only worried about him, but still… The more 'coffee breaks' they had with Benny, the more he found himself being drawn in by him. The spaceman was so _smart_, and amicable, and funny… He still smiled at one of their previous conversations, when Benny had told him about the one and only time he'd tried to drink coffee after all the injections and surgeries. "Everyone said they thought I'd vibrated right into the ninth dimension. I don't remember much about it, but I could hear colors and taste numbers. _That _was an experience." Bad Cop had been surprised by his own laughter. Benny had looked absolutely elated.

He also found himself, against his better judgement, often daydreaming about the astronaut. The mental image of Benny pushing him up against a wall and kissing him senseless was particularly pleasant.

...Maybe Good was right, he needed to stop this before he fell in too deep-

But it was _hard _not to want it. It was the first time anyone had truly been nice to _him _for his own sake. People _loved _Good, but any time he showed his face… And Benny didn't even know Good existed. It was selfish of him, he knew, but it was just _so tempting_…

And Benny was _right there_, rambling on about spaceships and the building of them, gesturing with a half-eaten donut. His own muffin remained cupped in his hands, forgotten in favor of the bit of chocolate frosting that graced the corner of Benny's mouth. His resolve broke when Benny poked his tongue out to finally lick it away, and he leaned in, pressing their lips together.

Benny jerked back, staring at him in shock. "You- that's not- I can't- _I have to go_," he finally managed to get out, turning tail and leaping up out of the alley. Bad Cop watched as the Blue disappeared over a rooftop, heart sinking into his stomach. Good said nothing, only enveloping him with as much comfort as he could manage.

They wouldn't see the Blue again until the Piece of Resistance was found.


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven: Miss You**

Three months had passed since the _incident _in the alley. Benny honestly hadn't meant to stay away for so long, but he'd needed time to get his head back on straight, and by then he felt too much time had passed. He doubted Bad Cop would be cool with him just popping up again out of nowhere, acting like nothing had happened between them. Certainly, he'd set out on his mission to befriend the cop with the intention of swaying him to the Master Builders' side, but this result had been… utterly unexpected.

He felt awful. He hadn't meant to lead Bad Cop on like that, hadn't had even the faintest idea that Bad Cop might feel that way about him. He certainly gave no such hints. And truth be told… He missed his friend. Bad Cop was surprisingly good company, once one got past the prickliness. Benny thought maybe he could forgive him for what he'd done to the other Blues- he'd only hinted at it, during their brief conversations, but it had sounded like their deaths had not been intentional in the least. Like he had even tried to _save _them, once he realized they were in trouble. He wasn't even sure at what point he'd stopped thinking of the other man as a _monster_. But Bad Cop wasn't going to quit working for Business any time soon, and Benny didn't know how much more of this skulking around he could take. He'd just have to take matters into his own hands, and try to find the Piece himself, if he could, just to put an end to the fighting. Eight and a half years was long enough, and he hadn't been lying to Bad Cop, that first time he'd brought coffee. He was _tired_. Too many lives had been lost, and it was time to just… stop.

But the Piece was more elusive than he'd anticipated, and he knew he wasn't the only one out there looking for it. He sighed and rubbed at his tired eyes. Even Moppy's extensive searching had turned up nothing on a potential location.

Perhaps the Piece had more autonomy than anyone realized, and would only be found when it wanted, by whom it wanted.

_"That's a load of hooey if you ask me," _Moppy remarked.

"Says the chunk of circuitry that turned into a sentient being," Benny snarked back. They were interrupted when Benny's laptop pinged, a popup telling him he had a new email from… Batman? That was a surprise- not so much that the vigilante had managed to dig up his email, but that he even bothered to send Benny one at all. He clicked it open, curious to see what the superhero thought was important enough to tell him.

"That's…"

_"Holy hell." _

The Piece of Resistance had been found.

And The Special had been captured by Bad Cop.

* * *

Moppy rushed through the Tower's surveillance, trying to find where The Special was being held, but it was still taking forever. Fuck whoever thought it was a good idea to give the building a million floors.

…Oh. Right. Fuck him anyway.

"Any luck yet?" Benny asked, on his own hunt through the Tower albeit at a much slower pace.

_"No," _Moppy huffed. _"It's like he just disappeared-" _

"Moppy?"

_"Uh. Just a sec." _Benny's laptop flicked to whatever Moppy was looking at. It almost looked like a museum, with a collection of strange artifacts on display. Benny's attention was quickly redirected when a pair of securitrons collected two of those relics, and brought them to Lord Business, who towered over a very familiar figure. Benny's stomach dropped when the security bots grabbed Bad Cop, holding him firmly in place and- turning his head? Business approached him- them?- with a strange staff the bots had handed to him, with a very clear intent to harm.

"Oh. Oh shit- _Moppy-!_"

_"On it!" _The lights in the video flicked off, leaving only the dim glow of emergency lighting, and the bots crashed lifelessly to the floor.

* * *

The two figures froze at the unexpected clatter, left to stare at each other in surprised confusion. Good Cop tried not to look at the Scepter that was very nearly shoved into his face. He could see it drop slightly, in his peripheral, and held his breath. Business' expression turned unnervingly neutral.

"First you fail to capture this Blue, and now he's _helping _you. Care to explain?"

Good Cop tried to think past the rushing in their ears. "We thought we'd switch tactics," he blurted. "Trying to catch him through brute force obviously wasn't working, so we… decided to try 'befriending' him, hoping he would let his guard down enough to make an arrest."

"That's still _remarkable _timing, though."

"Word must have gotten out that the Piece was found- he must think we still have the Special," Bad Cop spoke up, carefully switching out. "Sir, they can't have gotten far. We can find them again, use them to find the rest of the Master Builders. There's too few of them left- we bring the whole force, and they won't stand a chance."

The Scepter was lowered entirely, and Business took a step back, lowering himself to something resembling eye level. Bad Cop finally breathed again. "You do that. And just to make sure you don't fail me again, your parents will remain my _guests _until you return."

"Yes, sir." He saluted and turned on his heel, trying not to look like he was in a hurry to get out of there.

_Holy shit, Bad! _Good gasped. They had to pause for a moment to lean against a wall, nerves making their legs weak. That had been far too close. If Benny hadn't interfered… _Oh, what a mess we've gotten ourselves into now… _

_**I know. But we can't back out. Not now. Not when he's got Mum and Dad.**_

_You know this means we'll have to catch Benny… _

Bad Cop clenched his fists against his conflicting feelings. **_...We'll deal with that when we reach that point._**


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve: Who Will Save You Now?**

The past three days had taken up every ounce of acting skill they possessed between the two of them. Clever Benny had managed to escape them _again_, taking with him the Special and a handful of other high-profile Master Builders, so it came as little surprise when they managed to raid the Tower.

It also came as little surprise when Business left them to die with the Master Builders. They wouldn't be executed by electrocution though, no. Instead the skeletrons marched them out into the hall, out of view of the others, and forced them to their knees. Bad Cop had scrambled to come up with a way to escape, but nothing seemed feasible. He itched to fight, to tear them apart, but they would shoot them down before they got far.

At least a bullet to the head would be a quick death, unlike what Benny would have to suffer through…

It was quiet. Bad Cop realized he couldn't hear the Tower's main computer counting down to their deaths anymore. The skeletrons stood frozen in confusion. What had happened? He barely had time to process that thought when the hall erupted into chaos, the embodied AIs tearing their way through the horde of skeletrons, Jules at the rear. He glanced up at the Blue in surprise as he approached Bad Cop. The AIs must have swarmed the prison block to break him out the moment the Special's team was discovered.

"Fancy meeting you here," he teased, and held out a hand. Bad Cop took it without hesitation. Jules easily pulled them back to their feet.

"Why-?"

"All this fighting ends _today_. You with us?"

"...Cover us so we can get our team back up and running, and you've got our help."

Jules raised his eyebrows at that. "You sure we've got the time for that?"

"Just cover us."

They hurried through the halls, Bad Cop collecting fallen bots as they went- both his team, and any unfortunate skeletrons along the way. They'd need the parts, after all. They stopped at the security office, where Wyldstyle had torn apart at least six other bots. Bad Cop got right to work as Jules and the AIs kept a lookout. It wasn't long before they were joined by two more Blues, the other two Master Builders among their numbers.

"What's going on?" Jules asked.

"The Special sacrificed himself to save us," Maryam spoke softly. "Rolled himself right out of the hole Business left in the window when he tossed out the Piece, and took the power cell with him. His team seemed to have come up with an idea to stop Business, they headed to the studio." As she explained, Isaac stared at Bad Cop as he worked. The other two finally glanced over to see what had him so quiet.

Seven of the SSP-bots had already been repaired, and Bad Cop was working on an eighth. Jules' jaw dropped.

"You're a _Master Builder?!_" Maryam demanded. Bad Cop didn't answer, didn't even flinch at her shrill tone. Jules caught her as she screamed in rage and tried to throw herself at the cop.

"Later," he hissed. "We don't have time for this right now."

"Don't know what you're talking about anyway," Bad Cop grunted. "Just had a lot of practice fixing bots." Maryam huffed and stalked back out of the office, intent on finding her AI. Finally he finished repairing the eleven bots he'd been able to find, and powered them back up.

"You good now?" Isaac asked, tone curt as he glared at the cop.

"Yes. Thank you." The other Master Builder snorted and left. Jules chewed his lip.

"...What now?"

"You should go to the city. There's going to be a lot of people in need of help. Take the AIs with you."

"And you?"

"I'm off to the studio. They're about to be in a lot of trouble." He nodded to the monitors, showing the army of skeletrons on the way to stop them.

"...You sure you don't need help?"

"I've already got all the help I need. Come on, boys."

"Yes-sir!"

Bad Cop grabbed his chair on the way out. Time to set things right.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen: End of Line**

Benny smiled as he watched his friends celebrate. He was impressed by how Emmet had managed to stop Lord Business using nothing but words. Interesting how the man had an antidote for the Kragle already made and ready to go, though… There were some curious implications there, he was sure, but he was soon too distracted to think on it as he was approached by three familiar figures in blue. "Maryam! Isaac! Jules!" he cheered, rushing over to greet the only other surviving Blues. Intellectually he knew they were the only four left, but actually seeing it with his own eyes… They held onto him just as tightly as he teared up and began sobbing into Jules' shoulder.

"We know, Bluebird," Maryam tried to soothe, raking gentle fingers through his curls and fighting back her own tears. "We're here, though. We're _here_." Benny glanced up as a dozen police bots approached them.

_"The other AIs," _Moppy informed him. _"A few more of us than of you, by some miracle." _

Benny wiped his eyes. "Something about being installed in the bots must've stabilized them," he murmured. "Hey, guys."

"Hi Benny."

Some time passed, the group just enjoying their freedom and each other's company again for the first time in many years. Conversation came to a halt as a figure in a familiar uniform approached them. Benny swallowed hard, staring up at the tall cop. It had been a shock when Bad Cop fought his way into the studio, armed only with an office chair, and then promptly vanished. Even now, more than two hours later, the other guy- "call me Good Cop"- was still in control. The Blues eyed him with caution and curiosity in equal measures, but his focus was on Benny.

"I wanted to thank you for what you did the other day," he said. "If you hadn't interfered, I wouldn't still be here."

"Oh." Benny shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "That was Moppy's doing, really."

"Then I'd like to thank Moppy for his timely intervention."

"It's. Uh. It was no trouble, really. Um. You're welcome?" Good Cop smiled at him, but it was quick to fade. He seemed saddened by something.

"Bad also wanted to apologize. For, well, everything he did the past eight and a half years, but mostly for his misconduct several months ago. You won't have to worry about it happening again." He handed over the thermos Benny had honestly forgotten even existed. "Also, I believe this is yours." Benny blinked, taking it on instinct. "Well, I think that's everything. Take care of yourself, Benny."

"...Yeah," he murmured, unable to come up with any other response. Good Cop nodded and walked away. The other Blues gave Benny a curious look.

"What was that all about?" Isaac asked.

Benny chewed his lip, staring at the thermos in his hands. "...Nothing, really," he said at length. That sounded like such a _permanent _good-bye. Apparently they weren't quite over his knee-jerk reaction yet. He'd let them have their space, he decided, give them some more time. Maybe they would cross paths again in the near future.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen: Robot Rock**

A week had passed. Bricksburg was already restored to its former glory, leaving no signs of battle or the Kragle. Their parents returned home to the country, safe and sound, much to their relief. Good and Bad themselves had decided to go on leave, not really feeling like they deserved to still be called police officers after everything they'd done, but still not quite sure what to do with themselves now. They'd worked so hard to become cops like their parents, it was all they had wanted in life, but now…

Bad had barely fronted since the studio. The Master Builders were slowly reintegrating- there were some fights, but Emmet was usually able to smooth things over. And really, the Master Builders were making an effort to be more mindful as they Built, and not be so arrogant about their abilities. Bad didn't want to jeopardize their progress with his presence.

It was quite a surprise when Jules approached him. They'd thought the Blues would have long since returned to Cape Space and their lives there. Jules must have seen his confusion, as he gave him a wide grin. "Relax, it's nothing bad. Maryam's gotten over her snit- well, mostly, at least- and she and Isaac were hoping to get your help with a project."

"_Our_ help?" Good echoed in surprise. "What sort of project?"

"Well first of all, we're having trouble removing the AIs from the bots you put them in-"

"_Oh_," Good gasped. "Oh goodness, I'd almost forgotten about that, of course we'll help-"

"Second, those who've lost their partners are hoping for a remodel. They saw how you fixed your team and are convinced you might be able to do something for them."

Good Cop's shoulders drooped at the mention of 'lost partners'. "Of… Of course. Anything we can do to help."

"Great! If you're not busy right now you can come with me, they've already gotten started."

"Certainly."

* * *

Benny was surprised, the next time they all got together, to see how the AIs had changed. _"That's hardly fair,"_ Moppy sulked.

"Good and Bad helped us with them," Jules explained.

"You actually went to the Cops for help?"

"They don't really seem comfortable being called 'cops' right now, but yeah," Jules said with a shrug. "They're pretty much experts on the bots' systems, it just made sense. And we're pretty sure they're actually Master Builders, though they don't seem convinced of it themselves."

Benny worked his jaw for a moment, stunned speechless. Moppy was thoughtfully silent. After a moment, he shrugged, simply accepting it. "How are they doing?" he asked instead. It had been some weeks, after all, and the ex-cops had been doing a pretty good job of avoiding him.

"Still trying to figure out where they'll fit in, in this new world. They seem to be having a rough time of it though. At least the project with the AIs kept them busy for a while."

_"__Benjamin."_

"Maybe that's just what they need then, is a job. Think they'd take a security position in Cape Space? Or maybe even something in robotics engineering?"

"I'll ask around, see how everyone else feels about that first."

_"__Benjamin."_

"Sounds good."

_"__Benjamin. I have a _need_."_

"Oh stars," Benny groaned. "What for?" Jules simply raised an eyebrow at him.

_"__I think I would like a body of my own."_

Benny mulled that over for a moment. It would give him an excuse to talk to the Cops again… "Alright, sure."


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen: Prelude to a Dream**

It took a while to hunt the Cops down. They seemed to have developed quite a knock for avoiding Benny, but he finally managed to trap them somewhere they couldn't escape him so easily. "You are ridiculously hard to find, you know that?"

Good Cop blinked at Benny in surprise, the Blue blocking their path. "Benny!" he gasped, taking a step back. "You were- you were actually looking for us?"

"Of course I was," Benny huffed, folding his arms across his chest. "You didn't exactly give me a chance to apologize last time we saw each other. Besides, I've missed my friend."

"Apologize?" Good Cop sounded surprised. "For what?"

"For my knee-jerk reaction," the Blue sighed. "I could've handled that kiss a _lot_ better than I did." Benny scratched at his head, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. "I'll admit, the whole coffee thing… I'd set out to try to befriend B, hoping maybe I could sway him to our side. But I never thought… I can only imagine how much it must've hurt when I ran off like that. I've certainly been feeling like a huge jerk for it."

Good Cop gave him a gentle smile. "Benny. He was already crushing on you long before you decided to change tact. You didn't trick him into liking you."

"Oh. Well… that's a relief, I guess. Will he let me talk to him face to face now?"

"Oh, he's going to regardless." Benny let out a startled laugh at Good Cop's devious grin, and then they switched.

"Hi, B," Benny greeted.

"Ben," Bad Cop returned. "Did… did you really mean it, when you said I'm your friend?"

"'Course I did. You're actually really good company, you know?"

"…No, I didn't."

"Well now you do." Benny's smile fell. "I really am sorry, you know. It's just- I hadn't been expecting it, it was so out of nowhere and I panicked, I felt _awful_ that I'd been leading you on that whole time-"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me," Bad Cop interrupted. "I knew it was dumb, with us being on opposing sides. I'm the one who should be sorry for springing it on you like that."

Benny stared at him, then shook his head, chuckling. "Alright, I think that's enough of that, or we're gonna be standing here apologizing to each other forever. So in the spirit of continuing our friendship, would you like to come hang out at my place? I've got snacks and awful sci-fi movies."

Bad Cop smiled at the offer. "That sounds great, Ben."

"Yes!"

"So uh. I must confess, I did actually have another motive for tracking you guys down," Benny admitted as he plopped down next to Bad Cop with a bowl of popcorn.

"I should have known," Bad Cop muttered, reaching over to grab a handful. "What do you want?"

Benny chewed his lip for a moment, not sure how to take Bad Cop's tone, but pressed onward anyway. "We saw what you did with the other AIs. Moppy's envious."

Bad Cop gave Benny a curious look. "…We figured it was the least we could do, after everything we'd put them through. I'm not sure I understand what that has to do with yours?"

"He wants a body of his own. And I'd like your help in building it."

"Why us? You're a Master Builder-"

"And my specialty is spaceships. You've actually got more experience with robotics than me."

Bad Cop stared at him. There was no way he could resist that hopeful look.

_It'll be something to do for a few weeks,_ Good Cop agreed.

"Alright. We're in."


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter Sixteen: Technologic**

They hadn't even made it through the first movie, losing interest halfway through as they started talking robotics and design ideas. Before the movie had ended they had migrated to Benny's kitchen table, the astronaut digging up a pile of paper and some pencils to make use of. Bad Cop watched in wonder as Benny popped out the card containing his AI and placed it on the table, saying "watch this" with a conspiratory grin.

"What-"

A little beam of light, roughly six inches in height, shot up from the tiny card and broadened into a holographic image. He could only stare as the image he could only guess was Moppy gave him a smug little wave. "…None of the others did that," Bad Cop finally managed to get out.

"They wouldn't have," Benny agreed. "You haven't exactly given us reason to _trust_ you over the years."

Bad Cop met his gaze. "But you do now?"

The Blue shrugged. "Yeah."

Bad Cop turned a considering look back to Moppy's hologram. "…This is how you want to look?" The hologram nodded. "Alright." He picked up a pencil and began to sketch. AI and astronaut stared in wonder as he worked, and he paused, blinking at them. "…Is something wrong?"

"No, just… You're _really_ good," Benny murmured. "Never would've guessed you're an artist." Bad Cop ducked his head as his face tinted red. Benny grinned at him. "Or so easily embarrassed. _Wow_."

"Shut up, Ben…" The astronaut only snickered in response.

"So have you ever built a bot from scratch before?"

"Not really. We've never really had need to, we've just done repair work."

"So this'll be a first for both of us, then."

Bad Cop glanced back up at him. "I guess so." He gave Moppy a considering glance. "I kind of figured it would be anyway, considering it looks like he wants _skin_ and not a metal shell." The hologram nodded with enthusiasm.

"Good point," Benny murmured. "That's a little outside my expertise, but I think I know who I can ask."

* * *

They left the sketches, complete with construction notes, with Benny and Moppy for them to go over and refine. It would be up to the Blue to collect the materials necessary to start building the AI's body.

_You actually seem kind of excited about this_, Good Cop remarked. He fell thoughtfully silent for a moment. _…You're gonna be careful this time, right?_

"Of course," Bad Cop murmured. "I know better than to think an apology means he's changed his mind. I'm… I'm over him. I _am_," he insisted at Good Cop's doubt.

_Well, if you insist. I _will_ be taking matters into my own hands if it comes down to it._

"And leave Benny and Moppy hanging, if we haven't finished?"

_Absolutely. Your well-being comes first._ Bad Cop sighed, but didn't argue. _I can't see you get hurt again, B._

"Would you quit fussing? I'll be _fine_."

_If you insist._

"Good."


End file.
